August 11th Staff Picks

The Quiet Tenant by Clemence Michallon

Genre: Psychological Thriller 

Plot: "Aidan Thomas is a hard-working family man and a somewhat beloved figure in the small upstate New York town where he lives. He’s the kind of man who always lends a hand and has a good word for everyone. But Aidan has a dark secret he’s been keeping from everyone in town and those closest to him. He’s a kidnapper and serial killer. Aidan has murdered eight women and there’s a ninth he has earmarked for death: Rachel, imprisoned in a backyard shed, fearing for her life.

When Aidan’s wife dies, he and his thirteen-year-old daughter Cecilia are forced to move. Aidan has no choice but to bring Rachel along, introducing her to Cecilia as a “family friend” who needs a place to stay. Aidan is betting on Rachel, after five years of captivity, being too brainwashed and fearful to attempt to escape. But Rachel is a fighter and survivor, and recognizes Cecilia might just be the lifeline she has waited for all these years. As Rachel tests the boundaries of her new living situation, she begins to form a tenuous connection with Cecilia. And when Emily, a local restaurant owner, develops a crush on the handsome widower, she finds herself drawn into Rachel and Cecilia’s orbit, coming dangerously close to discovering Aidan’s secret." 

• Lindsey gave this 5 stars. She says the book kept her interest from the first page through the entire book. 

• Stacey gave this 5 stars. She liked the way the story was laid out through the eyes of Rachel, Emily, Cecilia, and all the women from his past.

Trigger Warnings: kidnapping, murder, parent/spouse death, abuse (in all forms), captivity, cancer, starvation, malnutrition

Lacy: Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing by Matthew Perry

Genre: Non-fiction, Memoir

Plot: "So begins the riveting story of acclaimed actor Matthew Perry, taking us along on his journey from childhood ambition to fame to addiction and recovery in the aftermath of a life-threatening health scare. Before the frequent hospital visits and stints in rehab, there was five-year-old Matthew, who traveled from Montreal to Los Angeles, shuffling between his separated parents; fourteen-year-old Matthew, who was a nationally ranked tennis star in Canada; twenty-four-year-old Matthew, who nabbed a coveted role as a lead cast member on the talked-about pilot then called Friends Like Us. . . and so much more.

In an extraordinary story that only he could tell—and in the heartfelt, hilarious, and warmly familiar way only he could tell it—Matthew Perry lays bare the fractured family that raised him (and also left him to his own devices), the desire for recognition that drove him to fame, and the void inside him that could not be filled even by his greatest dreams coming true. But he also details the peace he’s found in sobriety and how he feels about the ubiquity of Friends, sharing stories about his castmates and other stars he met along the way. Frank, self-aware, and with his trademark humor, Perry vividly depicts his lifelong battle with addiction and what fueled it despite seemingly having it all."

• Lacy gave this 4 stars. She enjoyed this book a lot. She listened to the audiobook, which Perry read himself, so you get to hear his brand of humor and emotions. Chandler Bing was her favorite character in Friends.

Trigger Warnings: mentions of addiction, self harm, self destructive behavior, some sexual situations

July 28th Staff Picks

Stacey: A Twisted Love Story by Samantha Downing

Genre: Romance/Thriller 

Plot: "Wes and Ivy are madly in love. They've never felt anything like it. It's the kind of romance people write about! But what kind of story would they write? When it's good, it's great. Flowers, grand gestures, deep meaningful conversations where the whole world disappears. But when it's bad, it's really bad. Vengeful fights, damaged property, and arrest warrants. This vicious cycle needs to end soon because Wes and Ivy now have a new common enemy...she's a detective. There is one topic Wes and Ivy never talk about, good times and bad. The night of their worst break up, someone ended up dead. If these two can stick together, they can survive anything, even a police investigation. One more break up could be their very last." 

• Stacey gave this 3 stars. She liked the way she made the love story into a thriller. She figured out the ending before it was revealed. 

Trigger Warnings: toxic and abusive relationships, stalkers, a lot of partying, crazy/nosey people

Lacy: You're Not Supposed to Die Tonight by Kalynn Bayron

Genre: Young Adult Horror

Plot: "Charity has been working at Camp Mirror Lake for a couple of summers, and finally has gotten the job of final girl. It is her job to make the guests believe that everything that is happening is real, even though it's just a simulation. Charity and her friends act out situations that occur in slasher films, and guests pay a good price to get scared. But, when Charity's friends really start dying, she tries to figure what is going on with the help of Bezi and Paige, who are at the camp to help fill in some acting spots."

• Lacy gave this 5 stars. She loves slashers, and this book read very much like a slasher film. It takes place in the woods, and it's a campy horror.

Trigger Warnings: violence, language, gore

Four Found Dead by Natalie D. Richards

Genre: Young Adult Thriller/Mystery

Plot: "Tonight, Riverview Theater is closing forever, the last remaining business in a defunct shopping mall. The movigoers have left, and Jo and her 6 coworkers have the final shift, a shift that quickly takes a dark turn. First, a stranger arrives with a chilling accusation. Then, the power goes out and their manager disappears, along with the keys to the lobby and theater safe, where the crew's phones are locked each shift. The crew's tension turns to terror when Jo discovers the dead body of one of her co-workers. Now their only chance to escape the murderer in their midst is through the dark, shuttered mall. With its boarded-up exits and disabled fire alarms, the complex is filled with hiding places for both pursuer and pursued. In order to survive this night, Jo and her friends must trust one another, navigate the sprawling ruins of the mall, and outwit a killer before he kills them all."

• Stacey gave this 5 stars. 

• Lacy gave this 5 stars.

• Presley gave this 5 stars.

Trigger Warnings: very descriptive death scenes, guns, parent death mention, descriptions of being in the dark, violence, language, inappropriate relationships (age gap)

June 30th Staff Picks

Lindsey: These Fleeting Shadows by Kate Alice Marshall

Genre: Horror 

Plot: "Helen Vaughan doesn't know why she and her mother left their ancestral home at Harrowstone Hall, called Harrow, or why they haven't spoken to their extended family since. So when her grandfather dies, she's shocked to learn that he has left everything—the house, the grounds, and the money—to her. The inheritance comes with one condition: she must stay on the grounds of Harrow for one full year, or she'll be left with nothing. There is more at stake than money. For as long as she can remember, Harrow has haunted Helen's dreams—and now those dreams have become a waking nightmare. Helen knows that if she is going to survive the year, she needs to uncover the secrets of Harrow. Why is the house built like a labyrinth? What is digging the holes that appear in the woods each night? And why does the house itself seem to be making her sick? With each twisted revelation, Helen questions what she knows about Harrow, her family, and even herself. She no longer wonders if she wants to leave…but if she can.

Upon her arrival to Harrow, Helen is immediately drawn in and is determined to uncover the secrets of Harrow. With the help of 2 of her cousins, and a new friend that claims to be the Harrow Witch, Helen learns that things aren't always what they seem and sometimes in your effort to uncover the past, you reveal a version of the present you weren't aware of." 

• Lindsey gave this 2 stars. She LOVED the beginning, but as the story went on, the author went completely left field and lost Lindsey. She was very confused.

Trigger Warnings: death, murder, gory details, supernatural

Stacey: We Are All the Same in the Dark by Julia Heberlin

Genre: Thriller

Plot: "It’s been a decade since Trumanell Branson disappeared, leaving only a bloody handprint behind. Her pretty face still hangs like a watchful queen on the posters on the walls of the town’s Baptist church, the police station, and in the high school. They all promise the same thing: We will find you. Meanwhile, Tru’s brother, Wyatt, lives as a pariah in the desolation of the old family house, cleared of wrongdoing by the police but tried and sentenced in the court of public opinion and in a new documentary about the crime. When Wyatt finds a lost girl dumped in a field of dandelions, making silent wishes, he believes she is a sign. The town’s youngest cop, Odette Tucker, believes she is a catalyst that will ignite a seething town still waiting for its own missing girl to come home. But Odette can’t look away. She shares a wound that won’t close with the mute, one-eyed mystery girl. And she is haunted by her own history with the missing Tru.

Desperate to solve both cases, Odette fights to save the lost girl in the present and to dig up the shocking truth about a fateful night in the past—the night her friend disappeared, the night that inspired her to become a cop, the night that wrote them all a role in the town’s dark, violent mythology."

• Stacey gave this 5 stars. If you like thrillers and mysteries, her books will not disappoint. Stacey says all of her books are very well written, and the audiobooks are great; Texas slang and accent. 

Trigger Warnings: details of injuries, crime scene descriptions, old creepy homes, cemeteries, etc. If you scare easily, do not read!

Lacy: Clown in a Cornfield 2: Frendo Lives by Adam Cesare

Genre: Young Adult Horror

Plot: "After barely making it out of the Kettle Springs cornfields alive, Quinn’s first year away at college should be safe and easy. All she wants is to be normal again. But instead, Quinn finds that her past won’t leave her alone when she becomes the focus of online conspiracy theories that claim the Kettle Springs Massacre never happened. It’s a deranged but relentless fantasy, and there’s nothing Quinn can do to get people to hear the truth—not even on her own campus or in her own dorm room. So when a murderous clown attacks Quinn at a frat party while another goes after her father in Kettle Springs at the same time, Quinn realizes that the facts alone are never going to save her. Her only option is to go back into the cornfields, back where the nightmare began, to set the record straight the only way she knows how. Because when the truth gets lost in the lies, that’s when people start to die."

• Lacy gave this 5 stars. She said this was a great follow-up to the first book; she may have even liked this one a little better. This book uses your obsession with true crime and amplifies it to an unhealthy level.

Trigger Warnings: violence, language, death

SPOILERS FOR BOOK ONE!!

J'tone: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 

Genre: Space Superhero

Plot: "Still reeling from the loss of Gamora, Peter Quill must rally his team to defend the universe and protect one of their own. If the mission is not completely successful, it could possibly lead to the end of the Guardians as we know them. This story follows the Guardians as they race to save their team member, Rocket. All the members have their own stories that get focused on in this movie."

• J'tone gave this 4 stars. He said this movie was refreshing after, in his opinion, Marvel movie "duds." He says it had the same feel as previous MCU films.

Trigger Warnings: violence, mild language, scenes of genocide

June 19th Staff Picks

The Last Word by Taylor Adams

Genre: Thriller 

Plot: "Emma Carpenter is house sitting for a woman named Jules, at a secluded. Emma is self-isolating herself after a traumatic event, and has cut off pretty much every tie to the outside world except her next door neighbor, Deek. While she's secluded at the beach house, she has started reading a ton of thriller books, most of which aren't very good, but it allows her thoughts a little. After Emma reads a particularly bad novel, she leaves a scathing one-star review. The author responds to Emma's review, and threatens her. After this, Emma starts seeing a man in her bedroom, but can't figure out if he's real or a figment of her tired of imagination. This is just the beginning of Emma's nightmare as things get more intense, Emma doesn't know who to trust, and gets into impossible situations that there's no way she can survive." 

• Lindsey gave this 5 stars.

• Stacey gave this 5 stars.

• Lacy gave this 5 stars.

• Lacy gave this 2 stars on her tear tier.

Trigger Warnings: language, violence, misogyny, distressing situations with people and animals, grief, mentions of suicide

The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Genre: Young Adult Mystery

Plot: "17-year-old Cassie Hobbes is a natural at reading people. Piecing together the tiniest details, she can tell you who you are and what you want. But it's not a skill she's ever taken seriously. That is, until the FBI comes knocking: they've begun a classified program that uses exceptional teenagers to crack infamous cold cases, and they need Cassie.

What Cassie doesn't realize is that there's more at risk than a few unsolved homicides- especially when she's sent to live with a group of teens whose gifts are as unusual as her own. Soon, it becomes clear that no one in the Naturals program is what they seem. And when a new killer strikes, danger looms close. Caught in a lethal game of cat and mouse with a killer, the Naturals are going to have to use all their gifts just to survive."

• Stacey gave this 5 stars. 

• Presley gave this 5 stars.

Trigger Warnings: death, talks about murders, parent death, violent criminal images, childhood trauma

J'tone: John Wick: Chapter 4 

Genre: Action Thriller

Plot: "John Wick 4 picks up right where 3 leaves off, with John and the Bowery King preparing for war with the High Table. After John locates and kills the standing Elder, the High Table task Vincent Bisset de Gramont, "The Marquis" with handling John Wick as well as his associates. He starts with Winston, owner of the Continental New York, by destroying his hotel and killing his concierge as punishment for not killing Wick. The Marquis then increases the amount for John's death and summons Cain, a friend of Wick's, as the primary assassin. Also on the hunt for John is the Tracker who's named is never revealed, who haggles with Marquis over a higher payout for Wick's death. The situation becomes overwhelming to John and convinces him to challenge the Marquis to a dual to end the entire conflict."

• J'tone gave this 4 stars. He said the movie had incredible stunt work and beautiful cinematography.

Trigger Warnings: violence, strong language, lots of killing, blood shed, and gun violence

May 19th Staff Picks

Lindsey: In Nightfall by Suzanne Young

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy/Horror 

Plot: "Theo and her brother, Marco, threw the biggest party of the year. And got caught. Their punishment? Leave Arizona to spend the summer with their grandmother in the rainy beachside town of Nightfall, Oregon- population: 846 souls. The small town is cute, when it's not raining, but their grandmother is superstitious and strangely antisocial. Upon their arrival, she lays out one house rule: always be home before dark. But Theo and Marco are determined to make the most of their summer, and on their first day they meet enigmatic Minnow and her friends. Beautiful and charismatic, the girls have a magnetic pull that Theo and her brother can't resist. But Minnow and her friends are far from what they appear. And that one rule? Theo quickly realizes she should've listened to her grandmother. Because after dark, something emerges in Nightfall. And it doesn't plan to let her leave." 

• Lindsey gave this 5 stars. There wasn't a part of this book that she didn't love. She recommends every book by Suzanne Young.

• Stacey gave this 5 stars. She said this book was fun and scary and very entertaining. She says she will definitely be reading more Suzanne Young.

Trigger Warnings: drowning, death

Lindsey: Into the Sublime by Kate A. Boorman

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Plot: "When the cops arrive, only a few things are clear: 4 girls entered a dangerous cave, 3 came out alive. 2 of them were rushed to the hospital. 1 was soaked in blood and ready to talk. The story begins with a present day email, then it takes you back 3 months earlier. You follow 4 girls who are brought together by a group call 'Dissent' which is a group of thrill-seekers who participate in dangerous challenges. Amelie's cousin, Sasha, was recently in a tragic accident during one of the groups' dares. In order to show respect for her cousin, and possible change her fate, Amelie decides to search for a subterranean lake in Colorado called 'The Sublime,' which is said to have the power to change things for those who risk- and survive- the descent into the dangerous cave. Things go from bad to worse as the girls travel deeper into the darkness of the cave. Tensions start to build between the girls and they all come face to face with their biggest fears. Their desperate need to find the Sublime, and a way out of the cave, makes them question each other's motives and wonder who can be trusted."

• Lindsey gave this 4 stars. She said the book definitely held her interest, but she didn't understand the end.

Trigger Warnings: language, description of blood, tight spaces

Stacey: Dark Room Etiquette by Robin Roe

Genre: Young Adult Psychological Thriller

Plot: "16-year-old Sayer Wayte has everything: he's popular, kind of a bad boy, drives fast cars, has unlimited access to money, and a beautiful girlfriend. One day, it all goes bad when he decides to crash a field trip with his high school art class. He suddenly realizes his phone is not working. GPS is our and he is in the middle of nowhere. He also only has a few miles to go before he runs out of gas with no stores or people in sight. He is drugged and kidnapped by a man that tells him his entire life is based on a lie. He is trapped in a windowless room with his ankle cuffed to the floor. He knows that in order to survive, he must forget about the life he lead before. Nobody seems to be looking for him. As time passes, things that are taken away from him start to blur together, and he no longer knows what is fact or fiction. He sometimes thinks of escaping, but he has no idea where he is and has lost count of the days."

• Stacey gave this 5 stars. She said this book ripped her heart out. She felt scared, lost, angry, sad, and everything in between. 

Trigger Warnings: "all of them," kidnapping, drug abuse, bullying

Lacy: Are you there God? It's me, Margaret by Judy Blume

Genre: Juvenile Fiction, Coming of Age

Plot: "The story starts with Margaret moving from New York to New Jersey with her parents in the 1970s. Fortunately. she makes fast friends with Nancy down the street. The 2 girls are in the same grade and form a club with 2 other girls in the 6th grade. Unfortunately, Margaret is a preteen girl that's worried about boys, buying her first bra, homework, periods, religion, and her first day of 6th grade at a new school. This book tackles so many firsts and still feels relevant in 2023. 2 of the biggest topics discussed in this book are religion and menstruation. Margaret's parents don't practice any particular religion. They are an interfaith couple, one being Christian and the other being Jewish. Margaret starts to wonder about religion and decides on this topic for her big school project. She goes to different church services to see where she fits in best. By the end of the book, Margaret still hasn't chosen a religion, but she talks to God when she is alone, and this is how she feels close to Him. The other big topic, menstruation, is discussed as well. All of the girls are ready to get their periods, and are worried they'll be the last one to get it."

• Lacy gave this 4 stars. She loved how this book tackled topics in an honest, unbiased way. 

• Lacy gave this 1 tear on her Tear Tier. 

Trigger Warnings: gossiping

Presley: Happy Place by Emily Henry

Genre: Romance

Plot: "The house that the friend group spends all of their trips in is being sold soon. Sabrina plans this big 'last trip' for the group to say goodbye. But none of the friends know that Wyn and Harriet have been broken up for 5 months now. The decide not to tell them until the week is over, to not ruin their trip. Harriet and Wyn have to learn how to be together again, even though it hurts them. Tensions rise when the group realizes they are not the same people they were 10 years ago when they first started being friends, that they might be growing apart. Lots of secrets are revealed that the friends have been keeping from each other. There's a wedding, a pregnancy, and so much more in this last trip at their happy place."

• Presley gave this book 5 stars. She loves anything by Emily Henry. You get to see why Wyn and Harriet broke up while getting to see them interact in real time.

Trigger Warnings: parent death, language, some spice

May 5th Staff Picks

Lindsey: A Flaw in the Design by Nathan Oates

Genre: Suspense 

Plot: "Gil is living a quiet life as creative writing professor in a Vermont town, when he receives some shocking news: his sister and her husband have been killed in a car accident, and their only son is coming to live with him and his family. Gil and his wife are apprehensive about taking in 17-year-old Matthew. Yes, he has just lost both of his parents, but they haven't seen him in 7 years- and the last time the families were together, Matthew lured their young daughter into a terrifying, life threatening situation. But now, Matthew is their charge, living under their roof." 

• Lindsey gave this 3 stars. She didn't have a favorite part. She spent the whole time reading trying to figure out who the villain is. Lindsey said this was very wordy, a lot of filler. The book had her attention in the end, but she felt it lagged on and off throughout it.

Trigger Warnings: alcohol use, language, death

Stacey: You Shouldn't Have Come Here by Jeneva Rose

Genre: Thriller/Suspense

Plot: "Grace Evans, an overworked New Yorker, is looking for a total escape from her life. She books an Airbnb on a ranch in the middle of Wyoming. When she arrives, she is pleasantly surprised that the owner is a handsome man named Calvin Wells. She soon finds out things that don't make her feel very relaxed- no internet connection, a missing woman, and an overall feeling that things just aren't what they seem in the small town. Despite her uneasiness from Calvin's friends and family, the 2 start to grow close and start a relationship. As her departure date nears, things between them take a turn for the worse- Grace grows weary of Calvin and his obsession with her grows stronger."

• Stacey gave this 5 stars. She said this book really kept her interest because it was told from dual point of view. It was creepy but the end really threw her for a loop. She loves when the ending is nothing like she thought it would be.

Trigger Warnings: animal death- farming

Lacy: Love Your Life by Sophie Kinsella

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Plot: "The story starts with Ava leaving to go on a writing retreat in Italy. While there, she meets a man that she falls head over heels for. The two are determined to make their new relationship work and prove everyone wrong, but will their relationship survive the real world?"

• Lacy gave this 3.5 stars. This book reminded her of Bridget Jones' Diary and she loves that! She laughed a lot. Ava started to annoy her in the middle because she didn't want to put anything into the relationship. Ava expected Matt to change everything about himself, which Lacy says isn't fair. 

Trigger Warnings: language,

April 28th Staff Picks

Stacey: How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix

Genre: Horror 

Plot: "When Louise finds out from her brother, Mark, that her parents have died in a car accident, she dreads going home; she doesn't want to leave her daughter, Poppy, with her ex and fly to Charleston. She doesn't want to deal with her childhood home, stuffed to the rafters with the remnants of her father's academic career and her mother's life long obsession with puppets and dolls. She doesn't want to learn how to live without the 2 people who knew and loved her the most in the world. Mostly, she doesn't want to deal with her brother who never left their hometown. She will, however, need his help selling the house. Some houses don't want to be sold, and their home has other plans for both of them." 

• Stacey gave this "all the stars." She highly recommends this book, and all of his other ones. She says she has always been afraid of spiders, but this book made her afraid of puppets, dolls, and even squirrels. 

Trigger Warnings: parent/child death

Lacy: Suburban Hell by Maureen Kilmer

Genre: Horror/Comedy

Plot: "The story starts with 4 suburban moms having their monthly movie night. One of the friends, Liz, says they're finally going to start building the she-shed they have all discussed. After ground breaks on the she-shed, an awful smell starts coming from the hole and Liz starts acting strange..."

• Lacy gave this 4 stars. She liked how supernatural things happen, but in funny ways that would happen in day to day life. She said it was funny and makes you think about how you and your friends would react in situations like this.

Trigger Warnings: language, demonic possession, religious trauma

Presley: The Headmaster's List by Melissa De La Cruz

Genre: Young Adult Mystery

Plot: "4 students are in a car wreck, and one dies. Spencer (a survivor of the wreck) spends months trying to figure out what happened with the help of Ethan's (the driver and her ex boyfriend) best friend, Jackson. Spencer and Jackson get threats to stop looking into the wreck, or else, but they just want to know: who would want a 15 year old dead?"

• Presley gave this book 3.5 stars. It had snippets of a true crime podcast, which Presley LOVED. She felt like nothing was really revealed until the last 20 pages. The characters followed a lot of "leads" that led nowhere, which was realistic in a way, but Presley felt bored most of the time. She also loved Ripley, Spencer's service dog.

Trigger Warnings: death, car wreck, self-medicating

April 14th Staff Picks

Lindsey: How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix

Genre: Horror 

Plot: "When Louise finds out her parents have died, she dreads going home. She doesn't want to leave her daughter with her ex to fly to Charleston. She doesn't want to deal with her family home, stuffed to the rafters with the remnants of her father's academic career and her mother's lifelong obsession with puppets and dolls. She doesn't want to learn how to live without the two people who knew and loved her best in the world. Most of all, she doesn't want to deal with her brother Mark, who never left their hometown, gets fired from one job after another, and resents her success. Unfortunately, she'll need his help to get the house ready for sale because it'll taken more than some new paint on the walls and clearing out a lifetime of memories to get this place on the market. But some houses don't want to be sold, and their home has other plans for both of them..." 

• Lindsey gave this 5 stars. She LOVED this book. She read the majority of it in one day and didn't want to put it down. You will feel every emotion reading this book.

Trigger Warnings: parent/child death

Stacey: A Flaw in the Design by Nathan Oates

Genre: Suspense

Plot: "Gil is living a quiet life as a creative writing professor in a bucolic Vermont town, when he receives some shocking news: his sister and her husband have been killed in a car accident, and their only son is coming to live with him and his family. Gil and his wife are apprehensive about taking in 17 year old Matthew. Yes, he has just lost both his parents, but they haven't seen him in 7 years- and the last time the families were together, Matthew lured their young daughter into a terrifying, life-threatening situation. Since that incident, Gil has been estranged from his sister and her flashy, wealthy banker husband. Now Matthew is their charge, living under their roof."

• Stacey gave this 5 stars. She said this book was SO GOOD. It is not her normal type of thriller, but she didn't want it to end! 

Trigger Warnings: none

Lacy: Daisy Jones & the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Genre: Contemporary Historical Fiction

Plot: "The story is set up in interview style. It goes back and shares interviews from the band members to piece together the rise and fall of Daisy Jones & the Six (band) in the 70s. Inspired by Fleetwood Mac."

• Lacy gave this 4.5 stars. She loved that all the women in this book were strong characters. She loved all the background about the band. "Camilla is the real main character of this story!" 

Trigger Warnings: drug use, addiction, sexual assault mentions, domestic abuse, language, abortion mention

April 5th Staff Picks

Lindsey: The House in the Pines by Ana Reyes

Genre: Suspense/Thriller 

Plot: "Maya was a high school senior when her best friend, Aubrey, mysteriously dropped dead in front of the enigmatic man named Frank whom they'd been spending time with all summer. 7 years later, Maya lives in Boston with a loving boyfriend and is kicking the secret addiction that has allowed her to cope with what happened years ago, the gaps in her memory, and the lost time that she can't account for. But her past comes rushing back when she comes across a recent YouTube video in which a young woman suddenly kneels over and dies in a diner while sitting across from none other than Frank. Plunged into trauma that has defined her life, Maya heads to her Berkshires hometown to relive that fateful summer- the influence Frank once had on her and the obsessive jealousy that nearly destroyed her friendship with Aubrey. Soon, all roads lead back to Frank's cabin..." 

• Lindsey gave this 3.5 stars. The book had her hooked from the beginning, and she didn't want to put it down. The ending disappointed her a little bit; she was expecting more. 

Trigger Warnings: drug addiction, alcohol abuse, mental and emotional abuse

Stacey: Such Sharp Teeth by Rachel Harrison

Genre: Horror

Plot: "Rory Morris isn't thrilled to return to her hometown, even if it's temporary. There are a lot of bad memories there. But her twin sister, Scarlett, is pregnant and estranged from the baby's father and needs support, so Rory returns. After a night out at a local bar where she runs into Ian, and old almost flame, she hits a large animal with her car. When she got out to investigate, she's attacked. Rory survives, but life begins to look and feel different- she is unnaturally strong, has an aversion to silver, and suddenly, she is under the power of the MOON."

• Stacey gave this 5 stars. She loved the banter between Rory and Scarlett. She said it was scary, but not too heavy.

Trigger Warnings: child abuse, kind of graphic about how Rory is changing and what she likes to eat

Lacy: Carnegie's Maid by Marie Benedict

Genre: Historical Fiction

Plot: "This book follows Irish immigrant, Clara Kelley, as she chronicles her voyage to America and how she pretends to be a different Clara to get a better opportunity as a maid for the Carnegie family. Clara is very smart and ends up forming a friendship with the oldest son, Andrew. Clara and Andrew have feelings for one another, but can never act on them because of their different classes. But Clara learns a lot about business in their short time together, and this greatly benefits her and her family in the end."

• Lacy  gave this 4 stars. She likes the history and following Clara. Clara is headstrong and will not give into her feelings for Andrew even though he keeps insisting. 

Trigger Warnings: none

Presley: Things We Never Got Over by Lucy Score

Genre: Romance

Plot: "Naomi is running away from her wedding to help her twin sister, Tina, who is in 'trouble.' Turns out, Tina left her kid, Waylay, with Naomi so she could do some illegal things. Knox is a very well-known person who takes Naomi and Waylay under his wing and helps them."

• Presley gave this book 5 stars. She LOVED this story. It was dual point of view, so you get to see what's going on in Naomi and Knox's minds. She liked the romance, but also the suspense was really good too.

Trigger Warnings: **language**, some death

March 10th Staff Picks

Lindsey: Such Sharp Teeth by Rachel Harrison

Genre: Horror 

Plot: "A young woman in need of a transformation finds herself in touch with the animal inside. Rory Morris isn't thrilled to be moving back to her hometown, even if it's temporary. There are bad memories there. But her twin sister, Scarlett, is pregnant, estranged from the baby's father, and needs support, so Rory returns to the place she thought she'd put in her rearview. After a night out at a bar where she runs into an old almost-flame, she hits a large animal with her car. And when she gets out to investigate, she gets attacked..." 

• Lindsey gave this 4.5 stars. She loves the personalities of the main characters in Rachel Harrison's books. How she handles the situations- didn't want to put it down.

Trigger Warnings: language, vegetarian? 

Stacey: The House in the Pines by Ana Reyes

Genre: Psychological Thriller 

Plot: "The cabin lies deep in the woods- the trees are so dense it's easy to miss. On the outside it may look like it's crumbling, crawling with weeds, but on the inside, it's warm and cozy. Maya once saw the cabin as an idyllic place, like a cottage from a fairytale, but now she knows the danger that lurks."

• Stacey gave this 3.5 stars. She enjoyed the different time lines that were provided- past and present. 

Trigger Warnings: drug addiction, self medicating.

Lacy: Mary by Nat Cassidy

Genre: Horror

Plot: "The book starts with a police detective that has tracked down a serial killer. The killer happens to be the mayor's brother and tries to escape the police in the walls. Fast forward, a little girl is forgotten in a museum, but survives by eating the bug display like the man in the wall told her. Fast forward 4 more years, now we are following Mary, a middle-aged woman just skating by. She has a job where she feels invisible and talks to her porcelain 'little people' at home where she lives alone. Her aunt calls one night after Mary is fired from her job, and asks if she can come home to take care of her. Mary obliges, and after she returns home, things start to snowball into the odd, and insane."

• Lacy  gave this 3 stars. She liked Mary down all of the awful, misogynistic people and really coming into her own. This was a wild ride for Lacy. She says it was a little "out there" for her liking, but she didn't hate it. She compared it to "Carrie" and "Midsommar."

Trigger Warnings: violence, gruesome images, intrusive thoughts, sexual assault mentions, misogyny, animal death, language

January 28th Staff Picks

 Lacy: They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera

Genre: Young Adult Coming-of-Age

Plot: "Death-cast can tell when you're going to die and will give you a call the day of, so that you know, too. Rufus and Mateo have both gotten the call. They download the Last Friend App so that they will have someone to spend their last day with and find each other."

• Lacy gave this 4.5 stars. She liked how Mateo broke out of his shell and actually lived his life instead of being so scared.

Trigger Warnings: death

Stacey: Girl, Forgotten by Karin Slaughter

Genre: Thriller

Plot: "In 1982, Emily Vaughn gets ready for prom night- Emily has a secret and by the end of the night, she will be dead. Forty years later, Emily's murder remains unsolved: Andrea Oliver arrives in town to protect a judge that's been receiving death threats- Is her assignment a cover?? Andrea is slowly uncovering the truth about Emily's death, putting herself in harm's way- everyone seems to possibly be a suspect."

• Stacey gave this 5 stars. She likes Karin Slaughter's writing style; Slaughter really digs deep into her characters, making you feel like you know them. Stacey likes how Slaughter is very good at describing the setting without it becoming wordy.